Vascularised fibular graft for a radial defect following tumour excision in a tertiary institution in Nigeria

Background: Options for bridging large segmental bone defects following trauma or surgical resection are numerous. Various methods have been described and tried out, each having its advantages and drawbacks. In developing countries, the choices are limited due to unavailability and high cost of sophisticated implants and materials, and the relative lack of expertise to carry out some of these procedures. This case report highlights the feasibility of the use of a free vascularised fibular graft to bridge a large radial bony defect following tumour resection at a tertiary hospital in Nigeria.Case report: Mr J. A, a 30 year old businessman, had an excision biopsy of a mass originating from his distal right radius. The histopathology report confirmed it to be an aneurismal bone cyst. He was however left with a large (approximately 10cm) radial defect, which was subsequently bridged with a vascularised fibular graft. Post operatively, his hand and wrist functions were satisfactory.Conclusion: Free vascularised fibular graft is a viable option for bridging large bone defects in developing countries. As long as the expertise is available, it is less complicated and more economical than other advanced methods. It has fewer drawbacks when compared with the methods currently in use in our environment.Keywords: Bone graft, Bone defects, Vascularised Graft, Fibula

Effect of Mastery Learning Approach on Secondary School Students Achievement in Chemistry in Rivers State Nigeria

The study examined the effect of mastery learning on secondary school achievement in chemistry. It adopted  a quasi experimental design. A fifty (50) item multiple choice option of chemistry Achievement test constructed from chemical strometer, mole concept, electrolysis, acid, base and salt) was used for the collection of protest posttest scores. A 2x2x2 factorial design was used. The analysis of covariance ANCOVA was used in testing significance and validity of different variables used in the hypothesis. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSDS) was used for data analysis, to enhance accuracy of the result obtained. The resu1ts show that the mean difference in academic achievement between the two teaching approaches was in favour of the experimental group was very minimal   (F(1.157=83,378, p=0.000), It also indicates that the mean difference in achievement between the male and female between the urban and rural students of the experimental group is very minimal (F(l, 77=1.233, p=2.70). It revered that the mean difference in achievement between the male and the female urban students of the experimental group was very minimal (F(I, 37=.871, p=357). It indicates that the mean difference in academic achievement between the male and the female rural students of the experimental group is very minimal F1, = 1.667, P = .205). The experimental group (mastery learning) performed significantly better than the control group (conventional teaching method); government should motivate teachers by ensuring good conditions of service, considering that mastery learning strategy demand absolute dedication on the part of teachers, the schools should allow more flexibility in the time assigned to teach a unit of subject in order to attain mastery. Key Words: Mastery Learning, Conventional Teaching Method, Academic, Achievement School Location, Gender

Multivariate Analysis of Members’ Marketing Participation in Dairy Cooperatives in Arsi Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia

The study has been conducted with the main objective of analyzing members’ marketing participation and factors influencing their participation in dairy cooperatives in Arsi Zone of the Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. In this study, three stage random sampling method was adopted for the selection of the respondents. The study has been employed survey method with field orientation and structured interview schedule was used as a tool for collecting data from members. 151 members from 4 dairy cooperatives were selected at random for the study using probability proportionate to size of the population (PPS).Additionally, 56 participants of FGD (32 dairy cooperative officials, 15 reputed elders of the local community, 4 village (PA) leaders, and5 marketing experts from zonal and woreda promotion offices) were involved in the study. Karl Pearson’s Coefficient of Correlation(r), the Ordinal Logistic Regression Model, and preference indices were used to analyze the data. The survey result revealed that most of the dairy cooperative members, i.e. 89 members (58.9%) were regular participants in decision making with respect to dairy marketing through their dairy cooperatives and involving in the dairy marketing functions of the dairy cooperatives simultaneously and 61 members (40.4%) participated some times in the same. Number of milking Cows owned, Position of a member in the cooperative, Training undergone in dairy marketing, Information seeking behavior, and Communication skills were found to be positively correlated with members’ marketing participation while Distance to the nearest Dairy Cooperative's milk collection centre was negatively correlated with the same. The parameter estimates of the ordinal logistic regression model has shown that Experience in Dairy Marketing vi , Milk Purchased through Cooperatives , Training Undergone in Dairy Marketing , and Perception about Cooperatives were among the significant factors affecting marketing participation of members in dairy cooperatives. Lack of market access for members’ milk especially during the fasting months, Lack of improved dairy cows, Lack of facilities (cooling, transportation, and storage), shortage and poor quality of animal feeds, Lack of credit to expand dairy activities, Poorly developed infrastructure like roads, water supply, and electric power, high cost of exotic breeds, high transaction costs and ever increasing in the price of animal feeds, members’ low attention towards dairy sector, and low commitment and negligence of Cooperative officials in discharging their responsibilities were among the main constraints perceived by members of dairy cooperatives and participants of FGD. In order to tackle the main constraints of dairy cooperatives so far identified and improve marketing participation of members in their dairy cooperatives, the dairy stakeholders (members, cooperatives, Government, and NGOs) should think of better market access for dairy products. In addition to this, there must be a national level dairy industry program like Operation Flood program of India so as to facilitate the enhancement of milk production in the country. The financial needs can be met from the sale of material assistance (primarily from the members of dairy cooperatives) received in the form of milk and milk products, and ploughing back the funds for the development activities

Economic and nutritional effects of feeding groundnut haulms with graded dried brewers’ grain on Red Sokoto bucks

This experiment was conducted at the Adamawa State University Livestock Teaching and Research Farm, Mubi, Nigeria, to investigate the economic and nutritional effects of digestibility and haematological parameters of Red Sokoto bucks fed groundnut haulms with graded levels of brewers’ grains. Bucks were blocked according to live weight into four treatment groups in a Randomised Block Designed (RBD) with four levels of concentrate at 0, 150, 200 and 250g which constituted the treatments designated T1, T2, T3 and T4, respectively. Treatment one had zero supplementation and served as a control. The results revealed that feed intake of 498.8, 558.1, and 607.4 for treatments 2, 3, and 4, and live weight gain of 43.9, 45.0 and 46.9 for treatments 2, 3 and 4, respectively, were significantly higher (p<0.05) in the supplemental group than those of controlled group. Based on the results of this study, concentrate supplement is necessary to improve the performance of goats during the dry season. Further, the findings showed that dried brewers’ grain at those levels had not caused any haemolysis, or its effect might have been antogonised by cholesterol present in the animal, and had no detrimental effects to animals’ health and well-being and therefore, could be used to supplement bucks feeding. Based on these findings, it is recommended that dried brewers’ grain can be included in the diet of goats as a cheap protein supplement during the dry season to the level of about 150-200grams without any side effects.

Analysis of Socio – Economic Characteristics of Rice Consumer’s in Adamawa State, Nigeria

The study analyzed socio – economic characteristics of rice consumers in Adamawa State Nigeria. The population of the study involved all the households in Adamawa State. However, the research used a sample size of 128 House Hold Heads (HHHs) for the work.  Primary data was generated from the respondents through a well-structured questionnaire, but only 120 questionnaires were retrieved and successfully analyzed to accomplish the study.  Descriptive statistics, frequencies and percentages were used to describe the socio-economic characteristics of rice consumers in the state. The result revealed that, majority (62.5%) of the respondents are males, majority (39.1%) aged between 31-40 years and majority (87.5%) were married, majority (50.83%) attended post- secondary education, majority (37.5%) had 6-10 members in their household and majority (41.7%) are engaged in business as major source of livelihood. It also showed that majority (40%) earned at least N50, 000 monthly. Similarly, majority (62.5%) spent N20, 000 monthly on rice. It also revealed that most of the respondents consumed rice on daily basis and purchased up to 25kg per month. The paper reveals that, rice consumers in the area were younger, married, had moderate family size, they are literate, and majority belong to business class and earning moderate income. The study therefore concludes that rice consumption is promising in the area evident from the consumer’s income and monthly expenditure on rice. Despite the great demand potential for rice in the area, it is recommended that, sensitization campaigns on improve patronage of home grown and processed rice will go a long way in increasing the demand for domestic rice

The relationship between social factors and the poverty experienced by farming households in Borno state, Nigeria.

Many social characteristics of households relates to the poverty experienced by households. Hence, this study examined the poverty profile and social factors that relate with it among the farming households in Borno State, Nigeria. Using multistage sampling technique, 360 farming households were randomly sampled from 12 villages spread across six Local Government Areas of the three agro-ecological zones in the State. Primary data generated from farming households through well-structured questionnaires were mainly used for the study. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Foster, Greer and Thorbecke (FGT) P alpha measures of poverty. The monthly mean per adult equivalent household expenditure (MPAEHE) of the households was N2,972.77 out of which a poverty line of N1,982.84 was estimated. The FGT poverty measures showed that 62% of the farming households of the study area were poor; the average depth of the poor households from the poverty line was 44% of the poverty line, while 18% of the poor farming households were critically or severely poor. The findings revealed that poverty level among farming households increased with increase in the age of household heads, years of farming experience, household size; child dependency ratio and adult dependency ratio. On the other hand, poverty level decreased with increase in the household heads’ years of formal education and number of extension contacts per season. The study further revealed that poverty level in the study area was relatively higher among households headed by males, married persons and among households whose heads were not member of any cooperative society. Based on these findings the study recommended that policies aimed towards increasing access of households to educational facilities and provision of better family planning should be given adequate attention.Keywords: Markov games; Queuing; Virtual reality strategies; nash equilibrium, MSC CLASSIFICATION: 91A4

Development of Environmental Education Teaching Materials and Performance Tasks Using Soil: Focusing on Acid Rain and Buffering Capacity of pH in Soil

本研究の目的は，環境教育のための土の教材化とそれを用いたパフォーマンス課題を開発することと，それらを用いることによる環境保全に主体的に関わろうとする意欲の高まりを検証することである。土が環境の中で果たしている役割を中学生が見出せるように，酸性雨の問題と土のpH緩衝能を関連させた学習指導計画及び実験方法を開発した。パフォーマンス課題は酸性雨と川の水のpHの違いを説明させるものを開発した。環境保全に主体的に関わろうとする意欲を調べるために，日頃行っていることと，これから行いたいことを比較する質問紙を作成した。授業実践の結果，土の働きに関心を持たせたり，雨と土のつながりに気づかせたりすることができた。また，パフォーマンス課題の評価によって学習の定着状況を適切に評価できた。しかし，環境保全に主体的に関わろうとする意欲の高まりについては，作成した質問紙の結果からは明らかにできなかった。The purpose of this research was to develop teaching material of soil used in environmental education and performance tasks used the teaching material and examine how students' awareness and engagement in environmental conservation is growing. A teaching plan and an experimental method associated with acid rain and buffering capacity of pH in soil were developed to give students an opportunity to learn about the function of soil in the environment. The performance task was designed to make students explain the difference of pH between acid rain and water in the river. The questionnaire was also designed, which made students compare what they did in their daily lives with what they were going to do in the future, to reveal students' eagerness to engage in environmental conservation. As a result of it, the lesson showed to raise students' awareness of the function of soil and find the relation between rain and soil. Evaluation of the performance tasks revealed the accuracy of the students' learning. However, the students' responses to the questionnaire did not reveal interest in engaging in environmental conservation.本研究は平成28年度科学研究費助成事業（奨励研究，課題番号16H00201 ）により実施された